Apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rolls



3 1 R 7 0 5 w m 2 M V 2 S N 6 I 9m m 3 C. F. WENNECHE APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL FROM ROLLS Dec. 23, 1952 Flled Feb 16, 1 948 Dec. 23, 1952 c. F. WENNECHE 2,622,873

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSINd SHEET MATERIAL FROM ROLLS Filed Feb. 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

ArWaeMH/d Dec. 23, 1952 c. F. WENNECHE APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL FROM ROLLS Filed F'eb. 16. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

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A TY'OENZVIS.

Patented Dec. 23,1952

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL FROM ROLLS Christian F. Wenneche, West De Pere, Wis., as-

signor to Fort Howard Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application February 16, 1948, Serial No. 8,554

11 Claims.

vices have necessitated two manual operations on the part of the user or have required a relatively slow cranking operation.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the class described which is foolproof in operation and which is relatively simple in construction in that the metering control is embodied in a single unit. i

A further object of the invention is to provide dispensing apparatus for material such as paper toweling wherein all major portions of the metering control are mounted on the same shaft as the feed roll and at only one end thereof.

A-further object of the invention is to provide a device as above described wherein there is a manually operated lever which is easily manipz.

ulated to temporarily unlock the feed roll and to simultaneously project a suiiicient, amount of toweling to enable it to be grasped by the user so that the remainder of the meteredquantity may be removed by a downwardpull.

A further object of the invention, is to pro vide a construction as above described, wherein there is a double stop for the feed roll so that in no position of the manually operated lever is it possible to free an unlimited amount of toweling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device as above described wherein there is novel means for supporting the supply roll to facilitate servicing, and to provide for the automatic maintenance of friction on the roll.

Other objects of the invention are to provide apparatus for dispensing toweling or the like which provides for the speedy Withdrawal of a measured amount of toweling, which eliminates the use of dash-pots or other delayed action timing devices, which is easy to repair, which has a minimum number of parts to get out of order, and which is otherwise well adapted for the purpose described.

. pushed only a short distance;

'With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rolls, and all its parts and combinations, as set forth 'inthe claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the towel dispensing cabinet, taken on the line l-i of Fig. 2, part of the end wall being broken away to show the interior mechanism, and the dot and dash line's indicating the position of the lever slot in the. broken away Wall portion;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken onthe line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a partially diagrammatic, fragmentaryperspective view of an end of the feed roll showing the control mechanism in roll lockingposition;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position of the parts after the hand lever has been,

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the position of the parts after the hand lever has been pushed the full distance to project a short length of toweling from the cabinet; and

Fig. 6 is .a similar view showing the'position of the parts after pressure on the hand lever has been released and after the spring has re, turned to normal position and before the measured amount of toweling has been withdrawn by the user. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral Iil designatesa cabinet formed of sheet. metal or other suitablematerial. ,In'the preferred embodiment illustrated, the cabinet includes a back wall ll, ends I2 and I3, and a bottom M, the latter having its forward edge bent upwardly as at IE to form a guiding plate which is spaced rearwardly from the front of the cabinet." The lower portion of the front of the cabinet is preferably fixed in position as at l6 and there is a fixed top portion ll of limited area. A curved door [8 is hinged to the forward edge of the top portion I! as at l9, and is adapted to close the portions of the front and .topwhich are not covered by the portions I 5 and I1.

Suitably mounted in an upper portion of the cabinet so as to be accessible when the door I8 is open, is a core 28 on which a supply of sheet material such as toweling 2| is supported. 'In

order to support the core in a simple manner and provide for easy removal, brackets 22 are employed. These brackets have flanged tongues 23 at their inner ends which engage behind tongues 24 on the back wall I l of the cabinet. The brackets are also provided on forward portions of their upper edges with outwardly bent flanges 25 which seat on lugs or flanges 26 projecting from the end walls of the cabinet, the flanges 25 being preferably bolted to the flanges 26 as at 21. The upper edges of the brackets 22 have rear portions 28 which incline rearwardly and down- Wardly and on which the trunnions 29 of the. roll 20 rest. Thus, as the supply of paper is used up, gravity will continually urge the roll in a rearward direction to press against the back. I l of the cabinet. Thus, the back wall of the cabinet serves as a frictional brake during the withdrawal of paper. The construction of the brackets also simplifies the installation of new rolls of toweling.

Mounted in the cabinet in front of and below the supply roll 20 is a feed roll 30 having cutwardly projecting trunnions 31 which are supported for rotation in bearing sockets 32. The feed roll is preferably formed with spaced peripheral grooves 33 and may have its surface portions covered with. a gripping material such as sandpaper as at 34. Fingers projecting upwardly from the guide plate I5. may engage in the grooves 33 in the usual manner.

Forwardly of and above the feed roll is a relatively small pressure roll 35 having spaced peripheral grooves 35. The pressure r011 has cutwardly projecting trunnions 31 which are rotatably and vertically movably supported in bearing guide-ways 38. Springs 38' at the ends of the cabinet acting on the trunnions 3-1 normally urge the pressure roll downwardly. A guide plate 39 is suitably supported at an incline, as is clear from Fig. 1, between the feed roll and the front wall It of the cabinet. The upper portion of the guide plate 39 has upwardly curved fingers 4B which engage the grooves 35 of the pressure'rol-l. The guide plate may be suitably anchored at its ends in any well known manner to the front wall of the cabinet.

The lower edge of the fixed front wall portion I63 of the cabinet terminates short of the bottom of the cabinet as at M to provide a front opening for the withdrawal of toweling which opening communicates with the open bottom portion forwardly of the plate i5. The opening is designated generally by the numeral 42- Secured to the inner surface of the front wall of the cabinet just above the edge 4| is an elongated strip 43 having; its lower portion bent inwardly as at 4-4.. The lower edge of the portion 44 is serrated as at 45 to form a tearing edge- It is to be noted that the guide plate 39 is substantially parallel with the plate I5 and forms a channel of approximately uniform width through which toweling may pass.

The metering control unit is best shown in Figs. 3, 4', 5 and 6. It includes a swingable lever or yoke 45 having arms 41 and 48 provided with alined openings 49 through which the trunnion 3| projects, the yoke being rotatably swingable on the trunnion. Fixed to the trunnion 3! be tween the arms 41 and as or the yoke is a ratchet wheel 50 mounted between an outer disc 54 and an inner disc 52, the three pieces being riveted together as at 53. The outer disc 5! has a stop or latching shoulder 54 on its periphery and the inner disc has its periphery formed with a stop or latching shoulder 55. Pivoted on a belt or pin 56 to the arm 48 is a ratchet pawl 5'1 and a dog or latching member 58. The shoulder and dog 58 constitute auxiliary latching means. A spring 59 connected to the inner end of the dog 58 normally urges the opposite end of the dog into engagement with the periphery of the disc 52 to ride thereon. The said end of the dog 58 has a cam extension which cooperates with an abutment 6| suitably supported on the front wall of the casing when the parts are in a certain position of movement such as in the position of Fig. 5. A curved dog or latching member 62 is pivoted to a bracket 63 attached to the wall 12 of the casing as at B4. A coil spring 65 attached to the inner end of the curved dog 62 normally urges the opposite end into engagement with the periphery of the disc 5! and said end has a shoulder 65 for coaction with the stop 54. The same end of the dog 62 has a laterally projecting flange 6'! which coacts with the inclined camming face 68 of a trip lug 59 projecting from the adjacent edge of the arm 41.

The yoke is normally maintained in the position of Fig. 1 by means of a coil spring f9 which passes around a guide roller ll and which is attached to the casing as at i2. The lower end of the yoke 46 is formed with a flange l3 which rides in an arcuate slot M in the end wall ll of the cabinet, and said flange has an upwardly bent portion 15 for engagement by the thumb of the user. The yoke 46. together with the externally'accessibleportions (5 and '55 constitute a manually operable member.

Operation In use of the apparatus, with the parts in the starting position of Figs. 1 and 3, the user first bears with his thumb upon the portion 15 to push the handle rearwardly in the arcuate slot 14. This, of course, causes a forward swinging movement of the upper portion of the yoke 45. During the first part of this movement the parts are moved from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 4. Prior to moving the hand lever no toweling can be withdrawn from the cabinet because rotation of the roll 33 is prevented through the engagement of the dog 58 with the shoulder 55 and also because the shoulder 66 of the dog 62 is in stopping relationship with respect to the shoulder 54 of the outer disc 5| as is clear from Fig. 3. There is thus a double check against rotating movement of the roll 3%. In addition, if the last dispensed sheet of toweling has been properly torn off, there is no towel ing projecting below the serrated strip 44'.

At the beginning of movement of the lever and yoke 46 from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 4, the camming surface 68 on the yoke arm 4! exerts an upward lift upon the flange 61 of the curved dog 62 as is clear from Fig. 3. This causes the shoulder 56 of the dog 62 to be moved radially outwardly beyond the shoulder 54 of the disc 5| so that said shoulder 54 may be rotated with the disc 5! toward the position of Fig. 4 without interference from the stop shoulder 66 on the dog 62. During such movement the end of the ratchet pawl 57 is in engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 50. Thus, the ratchet wheel, discs 5! and 52, and feed roll 30 are rotated as a unit an amount equal. to the swinging movement of the yoke. During such swinging movement the dog 58 moves with the yoke and maintains an auxiliary latching relationship with respect to the stop 55 on the periphery of the disc 52. Thus, there is no possibility of an unlimited amount of toweling being withdrawn by some tampering individual while the yoke is in an intermediate position and while the dog 62 is in released condition.

When the parts reach the position of Fig. 4 an inch or two of toweling has been projected below the serrated edge 45. In addition, the rounded end 60 of the dog 58 strikes the abutment BI and, while the lever is pushed the rest of the distance to the rear end of the slot 14, rides along the top of said abutment to the position of Fig. 5. This latter movement releases the dog 58 from the stop shoulder 55. Following this action, the handle may be released by the user and the spring will then return the yoke and associated parts to the position of Fig. 6. The engaging ends of the two dogs 58 and B2 are now resting on the high portions of the peripheries of the discs 59 and 5| as is clear from Fig. 6 and thus the con trol mechanism is temporarily unlocked. The user can now grasp the projecting portion 16 of the toweling and pull downwardly. During such withdrawal movement the feed roll 36' is rotated nearly a complete revolution to bring the shoulders 54 and 55 on the disks 50 and 5| from the position of Fig. 6 back to the position of Figs. 1 and 3 in stopping and locking relationship with respect to the dogs 58 and 62. Further withdrawal of toweling is therefore prevented. However, a suflicient length has been metered out for ordinary requirements. The user, therefore, tears off the withdrawn portion on the serrated strip 44 and no further toweling may be withdrawn without again manipulating the handle to prepare the device for a new cycle.

With the use of double stops, that is,'the stop 54 for coaction with the dog 62 and the stop 55 for coaction with the dog 58, it is impossible to find any position of movement of the yoke which permits unrestricted withdrawal of toweling.

The cabinet may be easily serviced by unlocking and raising the door I 8, inserting the wooden roll through a new roll of toweling and then dropping the trunnions 29 back on the inclined edges 28 of the brackets 22. As the toweling 21 is used up, and as the roll gets smaller it is constantly urged by gravity in a downward and rearward direction to maintain frictional contact with the back wall ll of the cabinet. Thus, too free running of the supply roll during withdrawal is prevented.

The metering control is relatively inexpensive in that it is all embodied in a single unit at one end of the feed roll. Furthermore, no dash pots or other complicated time controlling devices need be employed. It is obvious that the mechanism of the present invention is relatively fool-' proof and that it is not likely to get out of order.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such. changes are contemplated, as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is: v

1. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rolls and having a frame and having a feed roll, a latching shoulder rotatable with the feed roll, a dog pivoted to the frame and normally engageable with said shoulder to prevent rotation of the feed roll, means including a manually operable member for releasing said dog from engagement with said shoulder and 6 the feed roll independently of movement of the manually operable member, and means for releasing said normally engaged auxiliary latching means after said dog has been released, said dog being positioned for reengagement with its latching shoulder after the roll has been rotated a predetermined distance to dispense a predetermined amount of sheet material, and said auxiliary latching means being similarly located upon return of the manually operable member to its original position. 1

2. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet ma terial from rolls and having a supporting frame and having a feed roll therein, a disc rotatable with said feed roll and having a stop shoulder thereon spaced outwardly from the axis of IO- tation of said roll, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said disc and roll, a manually operable member movable in an are on the aXis of said roll, a dog pivoted to said manually operable member and normally engageable with the stop shoulder of said disc, a ratchet pawl pivoted to saidman ually operable member and normally engageable with said ratchet wheel to cause rotation 'of the latter and roll when the manually operable member is moved, means on the frame engaged by said dog after said manually operable member has been moved a predetermined distance to release said dog from said stop shoulder, means for automatically returning said manually operable member to its original position wherein said dog is located for reengagement with said stop shoulder to limit the amount of rotation of the feed roll, and releasable latching means normally preventing rotation of the feed roll, said latching means being positioned for release by the manually operable member upon movement ofthe latter away from its normal position.

"3. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rolls and having a supporting frame and having a feed roll therein, a disc rotatable with said feed roll and having a stop shoulder thereon spaced outwardly from the axis of rotation of said roll, a second disc rotatable with said feed roll and having a stop shoulder spaced outwardly from the axis of rotation of said roll; a ratchet Wheel rotatable with said discs and roll, a dog yieldingly pivoted to the frame'and normally engageable with the stop shoulder of one of said discs, a manually operable member movable in an are on the axis of said roll, a dogyieldingly pivoted to said manually operable member and normally engageable with the stop shoulder of the other disc, a ratchet pawl pivoted to said manually operable member and normally engageable with said ratchet wheel to cause rotation of the latter and roll when the manually operable member is moved, means on said manually operable member for disengaging said first dog from its stop shoulder at the start of movement of the manually operable member and for thereafter releasing said dog, means 'on said frame engaged by said second dog after said manually operable member has been moved a predetermined distance to release said second dog from the stop shoulder of the second disc,

and means for automatically returning said manually operable member to its original position wherein its dog is located for reengagement with said stop shoulder to limit the amount of rotation of the feed roll.

4. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet ma terial from rolls and having a frame and having a feed roll therein, a disc fixed to one end of said feed roll and having a peripheral stop shoul der, a second disc fixed to said first disc and having a peripheral stop shoulder, a ratchet wheel fixed between said two discs, a dog pivoted to the frame to ride on the periphery of one of said discs and normally engageable with the shoulder thereon to prevent rotation of the feed roll, a lever mounted for arcuate movement on the axis of said feed roll, a dog pivoted to said lever in a position to ride on the periphery of the second disc and normally engageable with the stop shoulder thereon, a pawl pivoted to said lever and normally engageable with said ratchet wheel to cause rotation of the wheel, discs, and feed roll when the lever is moved in one direction, means on said lever engageable with said first dog at the start of movement oithe lever to disengage said dog from its shoulder and permit said rotating movement of the roll, abutment means for disengaging said second dog irom its shoulder after the lever has been moved a predetermined distance, and means for automatically returning said lever and its dog to original position wherein said dog is located to reengage its stop shoulder after a predetermined amount of rotation of said feed roll.

5. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rolls and having a frame and having a feed roll therein provided with end trunnions, a disc fixed to one end of said feed roll and having a peripheral stop shoulder, a second disc fixed to said first disc and having a peripheral stop shoulder, a ratchet wheel fixed between said two discs, one of the trunnions of said feed roll extending axially through said discs and ratchet wheel, a dog pivoted to the frame to ride on the periphery of one of said discs and normally engageable with the shoulder thereon to prevent rotation of the feed roll, a U-shaped lever having spaced arms embracing said discs and ratchet wheel, said arms having alined openings through which the feed roll trunnion loosely extends, a dog pivoted to said lever in a position to ride on the periphery of the second disc and normally engageable with the stop shoulder thereon, a pawl pivoted to said lever and normally engageable with said ratchet wheel to cause rotation of the wheel, discs, and feed roll, when the lever is swung in one direction on said trunnion, means on said lever engageable with said first dog at the start of movement of the lever to disengage said dog from its shoulder and permit rotating movement of the feed roll, abutment means for disengaging said lever carried dog from its shoulder after the lever has been moved a predetermined distance, and means for automatically returning said lever and its dog to original position wherein the dog is located to reengage its stop shoulder after a predetermined amount of rotation of said feed roll.

6. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rollers: a feed roll; a latching shoulder connected to said feed roll; a movably mounted manually operable member; a latching member movable with said manually operable member and normally in engagement with the latching shoulder to prevent rotation of the feed roll relative to said manually operable member; means for causing release of the latching member from said shoulder in response to movement of the manually operable member to a predetermined position; means for causing rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction in response to said movement of the manually operable member; and releasable latching means normally preventing rotation of the feed roll, said latching means being positioned for release by-the manually cperable member upon movement of the latter toward said predetermined position.

7. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rollers: a feed roll; a latching shoulder on said feed roll; a movably mounted manually operable member; a latching member carried by said manually operable member and normally in engagement with the latching shoulder to prevent rotation of the feed roll relative to said manually operable member; means for causing release of the latching member from said shoulder in response to movement of the manually operable member to a predetermined position; means for causing rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction in response to said movement of the manually operable member; and releasable latching means normally preventing rotation of the feed roll, said latching means being positioned for'release by the manually operable member upon movement of the latter toward said predetermined position.

8. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rolls: a feed roll; a first latching shoulder connected to said feed roll; a second latching shoulder connected to said feed roll; a movably mounted manually operable member; a first latching member movable with said manually operable member and normally in engagement with said first latching shoulder to prevent rotation of the feed roll relative to said manually operable member; a second latching member normally in engagement with the second latching shoulder to prevent rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction; means for causing sequential release of the second latching member and then of the first latching member in response to the movement of the manually operable member a predetermined amountin one direction; and means for causing rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction in response to said movement of the manually operable member.

9. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rolls: a feed roll; a first latching shoulder on said feed roll; a second latching shoulder on said feed roll; a manually operable member pivotally mounted coaxial with said feed roll; a first latching member carried by said manually operable member and normally in engagement with said first latching shoulder to prevent rotation of the feed roll relative to said manually operable member; a second latching member normally in engagement with the second latching shoulder to prevent rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction; means for causing sequential release of the second latching member and then of the first latching member in response to pivotal movement of the manually operable member a predetermined amount in one direction; and means for causing rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction in response to said pivotal movement of the manually operable member.

10. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rollers: a feed roll; a first disk connected to said feed roll and having a peripheral latching shoulder; a second disk connected to said feed roll and having a peripheral latching shoulder; a movably mounted manually operable member; a first latching member movable with said manually operable member and normally in engagement with the periphery of one of said disks and positioned for engagement with the j shoulder of said disk to prevent rotation of the feed roll relative to said manually operable member; a second latching member normally in engagement with the periphery of the other disk and positioned for engagement with the shoulder of the other disk to prevent rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction; means for causing sequential release of the latching engagement of the second latching member and then of the first latching member in response to the movement of the manually operable member a predetermined amount in one direction; and means for causing rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction in response to said movement of the manually operable member.

11. In an apparatus for dispensing sheet material from rollers: a feed roll; a first disk fixed coaxially to said feed roll and having a peripheral latching shoulder; a second disk fixed coaxially to said feed roll and having a peripheral latching shoulder; a manually operable member mounted for pivotal movement coaxial with the feed roll; a first latching member carried by said manually operable member and normally in engagement with the periphery of one of said disks and positioned for engagement with the shoulder of said disk to prevent rotation of the feed roll relative to said manually operable member; a second latching member mounted on a fixed pivot and having a portion normally in engagement with the periphery of the other disk and positioned for engagement with the shoulder of the other disk to prevent rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction; means for causing sequential release of the latching engagement of the second latching member and then of the first latching member in response to movement of the manually operable member a predetermined amount in one direction; and means for causing rotation of the feed roll in a feeding direction in response to said movement of the manually operable member.

CHRISTIAN F. W'ENNECHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 886,092 Tily et al Apr. 28, 1908 1,026,128 Rydquist May 14, 1912 1,788,949 Grunwald Jan. 13, 1931 2,243,686 Steiner et a1 May 27, 1941 2,298,882 Grunwald Oct. 13, 1942 2,303,520 Wilson Dec. 1, 1942 2,451,191 Birr Oct. 12, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,017 Great Britain of 1888 449,707 Germany June 29, 1928 

